How To Clean...Less

Keep things clean without doing too much extra work

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1. Use your bath towels more than once.
Think about it: You use a towel after taking a shower, so it's not that dirty after one use. Provided you always hang it up and let it dry between uses, you can re-use a towel two or three times before you need to throw it in the laundry. Washing towels after every use is a waste of detergent, water, and energy, not to mention that it will wear them out much quicker.

2. Wear your jeans a few times before washing.
Denim is excellent at masking dirt, which actually works in your favor. Over washing your favorite pair of jeans can cause them to fade and fray. Unless there's an obvious stain, you can wear them a few times.

3. Open the bathroom window and turn on the exhaust fan.
"You don't need to clean top to bottom in the bathroom every week," says Forté. To keep mildrew in check, squeegee your shower tile and doors or make sure you pull your shower curtain closed, so there are no creases or folds. If your bathroom has a window, crack it open or use the exhaust fan, if there is one. This will keep your shower walls clean longer, but you will still need to clean the sink, tub, and toilet weekly.

4. Clean your oven at the holidays.
You should wipe up splatter or spills as they happen, but if your oven doesn't self-clean (and even if it does), cleaning it doesn't have to be a weekly chore. Forté recommends cleaning your oven several times a year depending on use. A good time to do a proper cleaning is a few weeks before Thanksgiving. You might want to wipe the oven door and clean any glass more often.

5. Don't over-mop wood floors.
Wood floors shouldn't be wet cleaned too often, says Forté. Place a doormat at each of your home's entrances to trap dirt, and vacuum those mats frequently. If you want to go a step further, hang a sign that says, "Please take off your shoes" — shoes bring in debris that can scratch wood floors. Vacuum your wood floors weekly and spot clean stains when you see them.